This is to wish all my readers:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Germany is covered in snow and parking spots are becoming scarce due to the many roadside snow piles. It is best for us to stay home on New Year’s Eve and watch this all-time favorite Silvester (New Year’s Eve) program.

This comedy show appeals mostly to Germans (so I have been told). Therefore, in my family, I am usually the only one laughing…

Prost Neujahr!

Yesterday afternoon, our son was approached by a stranger asking for directions around the Rosengärtchen. This is often the case as the numbering system around here is chaotic and without German logic, if there ever was any ( More about that from the NY Times‘ article Delusions of German Logic).

Nevertheless, a few words were exchanged in English and our son was amused to learn that this stranger from Australia knew my blog. Based on one of my posts about Accommodations in and around Oberursel, he had taken my recommendation and booked himself into the Beethoven Bed & Breakfast.

Well, this has been said a million times, I know. But it is a small world, especially with the help of the internet.

Oberursel forest directions

To the Australian visitor: Enjoy your visit to Oberursel!

For the first time ever in my life, I made potato dumplings from scratch, thanks to my husband’s prompting. Before that, I always got the ready-to-use dough from the local supermarket.

Through my search for a good recipe for potato dumplings, I finally found the answer to an old question. Over the years, I had always wondered about the difference in Fränkische Kartoffelklösse (Franconian potato dumplings) and Fränkische Seidenklösse (Franconian silk dumplings).

I learned  regular Franconian dumplings are made 2/3 from raw potatoes, with the remaining 1/3 made from cooked potatoes. I decided to make the Seidenklösse as the dough is made solely from cooked potatoes and looked less time-consuming to me.

Fortunately for the family, the dumplings came out very well. I just hope I can go back to use the store-bought kind to keep my life simple because this happy housewife activity took more than 60 minutes.

Recipe:

2 kg potatoes (the mealy kind)

500 gr potato starch

3 eggs

salt and nutmeg – 1 tblsp each

toasted bread, cut into cubes

Instructions:

Cook potatoes in salt water, peel, press through the ricer. While the potato mash is still warm, add starch, eggs, salt and nutmeg. Knead thoroughly and shape into tennis size dumplings ( add bread cubes into the center).

Drop dumplings into boiling salt water. When they come floating to the top, let simmer for another five minutes.

This recipe makes 20 dumplings. Serve with pork roast and brown gravy.

Potato dumplings (and ricer in foreground)

For some reason, our Wendehammer (cul-de-sac) is not part of the public roads, or so it seems. The snow removal service does not come through here and many parked cars are here to stay.

From my window, I can see drivers venturing down the Wendehammer only to get stuck at the very end. Passing pedestrians are often called on to help push the car out.

Stuck in snow - Im Rosengärtchen Oberursel

I have to wonder why our road does not get cleared. A call to the Rathaus (city hall) might clear this one up.

These photos were taken at the Feldberg yesterday morning around 10:30. Mind you, if you do get as cold as these photos convey, bring suitable warm-ups with you (Glühwein in a thermos, heating pillows, etc.). The restaurants do not open before 11 a.m.

This is what you will see on the Feldberg:

Feldberg December 2010

Morning light at the Feldberg/Taunus

These photos are published with friendly permission by my friend, the photographer Boulkaye Klempin.